Case studies on migration from Analogue to DTTB of Serbia (March 2009) 1. Policy and regulatory aspects The Ministry for Telecommunications and Information Society published the “Basic Principles of the Strategy for Switchover from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting of Radio and Television Programmes in the Republic of Serbia” in January 2009. (Strategy for Switchover from Analogue to Digital Programme Broadcasting hereinafter Strategy.) The general aspects that the digitalization will provide: • better quality of sound and picture, • greater variety of contents, • more radio and television programmes, • new services for users with disabilities and for senior citizens, • enhanced additional services, • portable and mobile programme reception. Benefits for the service providers: • options for adjusting content to the needs of different target groups, • interactivity, • potential to provide services on demand, • lower broadcasting costs • convergence of services. The benefits for the state are: • more efficient utilization of radio frequency spectrum, • exploitation of the newly freed part of the spectrum for implementing new services, • promotion of technology development • new jobs, • improved competition • more opportunities for enhanced creativity and preservation of cultural identity. The strategy is categorized in three basic sectors: • content producers, • network operators • users All of them are equally important and play a key role as components in the value chain. The detailed value chain: 1 Multiplex Content provider Transmissio Broadcast End user provider n provider provider Primary Secondary distribution distribution Figure 1. Value chain (DTT) Regulatory Priorities: • The means and procedure for selection of network operators (who and in what way can be issued a licence for operating a digital broadcasting network), • The means and procedure for multiplex managing, • The means and procedure of issuing licences for different programme contents, • The programme broadcasting fees. 1.1 Licensing /Authorization schemes It has not been decided. The regulatory priorities define the basic aspect, which will be shaped by public discussions. 1.2 Spectrum planning On the basis of the GE06 Agreement, Serbia was allocated seven layers (networks) for digital broadcasting of television programme in the UHF and one layer (network) in the VHF band. Additional channels were also allocated in the wider territory of the City of Belgrade and in the Southeast part of Serbia, as shown in the Table 1. Table 1. The overview of the distribution zones with allocated channels for DVB-T (Source: RATEL) Possible Number of channels Band Number of distribution zones number of per zone networks 9 one channel 1 VHF band The City of Belgrade zone 1 additional channel 1 7 channels 15 (2 additional (Deli Jovan, Tupiznica, Kopaonik, 7 channels) UHF band Jastrebac and Besna Kobila) The City of Belgrade Zone 6 additional channels In the Figure 2, distribution zones for DVB-T with allocated channels in VHF band are presented. 2 Sombor Subotica 7 Kikinda VHF DVB-T Cot Iriski Venac 5 Vrsac Avala 6 Belgrade Cer 1 Maljen 0 7 1 0 Rudnik Deli Jovan Crni Vrh 8 Tupiznica Ovcar Tornik 5 Kopaonik Jastrebac 8 7 Kosovo and Metohija Besna Kobila Figure 2. Distribution zones with allocated channels for DVB-T in the VHF band (Source: RATEL) Serbia was allocated fifteen distribution zones in the UHF band for its entire territory, while the distribution zone for the wider territory of the City of Belgrade was allocated six additional channels. The distribution zones with the allocated channels for DVB-T in the UHF band are presented in Table 2. and shown in Figure 3. The design of networks for digital broadcasting will be performed on the basis of the final Act of GE06, and in line with the Action Plan document, which will be adopted by the Government of the Republic of Serbia, as an integral part of this Strategy. 3 Table 2. Distribution zones with allocated channels for DVB-T in the UHF band (Source: RATEL) Serial Distribution zone Channels number 1. Avala 22,28,33,45,57,62,64 2. Belgrade 43,50,51,53,59,68 3. Besna Kobila 35,39,43,49,54,59,62,63,69 4. Vrsac 25,31,37,39,42,56,60 5. Deli Jovan 23,24,41,43,52,59,63,66,68 6. Jastrebac 27,33,38,42,45,55,57,60,64 7. Kikinda 29,32,51,55,59,63,69 8. Kopaonik 22,24,28,32,34,41,51,61,66 9. Kosovo and Metohija 21,31,44,46,48,58,67 10. Tornik-Ovcar 23,36,39,50,56,59,63 11. Rudnik-Crni Vrh Jagodina 26,29,35,40,46,67,69 12. Sombor 34,39,40,43,58,62,64 13. Subotica 29,40,43,55,58,59,69 14. Tupiznica 22,25,28,31,37,44,50,58,65 15. Cer-Maljen 32,34,37,42,47,49,52 16. Cot –Venac 24,30,41,48,54,61,66 The yellow colour shows which zones (frequencies) are affected by the digital dividend. The broadcasting may lose 19.8% of the available frequencies. Subotica 29,40,43,55,58,59,6 9 Sombor Kikinda 34,39,40,43,58,62, UHF DVB-T 29,32,51,55,59,63,6 64 9 Vrsac 25,31,37,39,42,56,6 Cot -Venac 0 24,30,41,48,54,61,6 Belgrade 6 43,50,51,53,59,6 8 Avala 22,28,33,45,57,62,6 Cer -Maljen Deli Jovan 32,34,37,42,47,49, 23,24,41,43,52,59,63,66, 52 68 Rudnik -Crni Vr h Jagodina 26,29,35,40,46,67,69 Jastrebac 27,33,38,42,45,55,57,60 Tornik -Ovcar 23,36,39,50,56,59,6 3 Tupiznica 22 ,25,28,31,37,44,50,58,6 Kopaonik 22,24,28,32,34,41,51,61,6 Besna Kobila 6 35,39,43,49,54,59,62,63, 69 Kosovo and Metohija 21,31,44,46,48,58,67 Figure 3 . Distribution zones with allocated channels for the DVB-T in the UHF band (Source: RATEL) 4 The frequency planning is fundamentally based on MFN with SFN based allotments 1.3 Applicable Standards They have not been decided yet. DTT is based on DVB-T2 standard published last year, which enables 30 to 50 percents bitrate increase, as compared to the first generation standards. At the moment, there are very good results on DVB-T2 experiments in England and Italy with 5-6 modulator/demodulators. Multiplex with 45 Mbps is already in use in Italy. At the moment of implementation of the DVB-T2 in Serbia, there will be available devices from different manufactures. According to the plans, Serbia will have ASO in 2012 and it is expected that the launch of DVB-T2 would be facilitated. In the meantime, few European countries will switch its multiplexes to DVB-T2 (2009.). Mobile TV will be based on DVB-H standards. The MPEG-4 standard part 10 (version 10) may further the fast switchover in consideration of the circumstances. The disadvantage of this solution is the price of the set top box, which decreases year by year. On the other hand it will support the initiation of the high resolution High Definition Television (HDTV) after the analogue switch-off. The standards provide a lot of options for the service provider. It is necessary to notice that it establishes a claim to regulation in the interest of the picture quality. It is necessary to define the bitrate of SD and HD format. (The trial, which was launched In Beograd and Novi Sad by RTS, is based on the MPEG-2 standard.) 1.4 Broadcasting network structure (ownership of multiplex, transmission network); This document is not focused on the analogue transmission, but it is necessary to mention it. The Broadcasting Act, which was accepted in 2006, determinates the rules for television services. The present situation: Radio Television of Serbia Public Transmission Broadcast Broadcaster Provider Provider Commercial Broadcasters Figure 4 . Network structure 5 The Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) is a state owned company. RTS is the public content provider and it has an infrastructure for nationwide broadcasting. Other market players rent the infrastructure from RTS. An important step made in the process of digitalization is a Conclusion adopted by the Government of the Republic of Serbia on December 25th 2008, about the separation of broadcasting technology from Public Service Broadcasting (RTS). The Republic of Serbia is now in the phase of forming an independent body that will control broadcasting technology and its use on the territory of the country. This step may ensure the transparency on the market. We should not forget that one of the key drivers may be the public broadcaster for the digital switchover. The opportunity of regional broadcasting generally belongs to the public broadcaster. By using other technology (cable, satellite, etc.) the full population cannot be reached. Therefore it is important, that the claims of the public broadcaster should be taken into consideration for long-term under the mentioned process. The Serbian public broadcaster RTS will need the state’s help to make the digital switchover, a project whose costs are estimated at between €20 million and €50 million by estimate of Telecommunications and information society minister, Jasna Matic. Generally two public and five commercial channels are available with nationwide coverage. They have a right to use the analogue network till 2014. Table 3. Nationwide terrestrial broadcasters Name of channel Type RTS 1 Public RTS 2 Public RTV Pink Commercial B92 Commercial Happy TV, Kosava Commercial The RTS Culture and Arts (or RTS Digital) channel began broadcasting on November 26, 2008. The network airs classical and jazz performances and will broadcast various concerts as well as ballet performances.